Measurement of α-Amylase Activity in White Wheat Flour, Milled Malt, and Microbial Enzyme Preparations, Using the Ceralpha Assay: Collaborative Study

This study was conducted to evaluate the method performance of a rapid procedure for the measurement of α-amylase activity in flours and microbial enzyme preparations. Samples were milled (if necessary) to pass a 0.5 mm sieve and then extracted with a buffer/salt solution, and the extracts were clarified and diluted. Aliquots of diluted extract (containing α-amylase) were incubated with substrate mixture under defined conditions of pH, temperature, and time. The substrate used was nonreducing end-blocked p-nitrophenyl maltoheptaoside (BPNPG7) in the presence of excess quantities of thermostable α-glucosidase. The blocking group in BPNPG7 prevents hydrolysis of this substrate by exo-acting enzymes such as amyloglucosidase, α-glucosidase, and β-amylase. When the substrate is cleaved by endo-acting α-amylase, the nitrophenyl oligosaccharide is immediately and completely hydrolyzed to p-nitrophenol and free glucose by the excess quantities of α-glucosidase present in the substrate mixture. The reaction is terminated, and the phenolate color developed by the addition of an alkaline solution is measured at 400 nm. Amylase activity is expressed in terms of Ceralpha units; 1 unit is defined as the amount of enzyme required to release 1 μmol p-nitrophenyl (in the presence of excess quantities of α-glucosidase) in 1 min at 40°C. In the present study, 15 laboratories analyzed 16 samples as blind duplicates. The analyzed samples were white wheat flour, white wheat flour to which fungal α-amylase had been added, milled malt, and fungal and bacterial enzyme preparations. Repeatability relative standard deviations ranged from 1.4 to 14.4%, and reproducibility relative standard deviations ranged from 5.0 to 16.7%.

Euthanasia and assisted suicide in the post-Rodriguez era: lessons from foreign jurisdictions

Euthanasia and assisted suicide are highly controversial subjects that have drawn much attention in Canada over the last two decades. This paper outlines how the Netherlands, the United States, Australia, and Canada have approached the practices. Jurisprudence, public opinion polls, legislative developments, and the positions of medical organizations and their members are included in the analysis. A number of arguments for and against the continued prohibition of the practices in Canada are evaluated. As well, information regarding the extent to which euthanasia and assisted suicide are performed in these countries is assessed. It will be shown that Canadians currently enjoy significant control over decisions concerning end of life. The principles of autonomy and beneficence provide the foundation necessary to justify lifting the prohibition of voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada. With regard to the development of safeguards, the way in which foreign jurisdictions have dealt with both procedures is highly instructive. A qualified system of pre-authorization, unlike those adopted elsewhere, would prevent abuses from occurring and maintaining the prohibition of non-voluntary and involuntary euthanasia. Since legislators are in the best position to deal with the issues, change in the law should be made by the government, not the judiciary. Practical legislation is feasible and a proposal of what this should entail is presented.

The long-term use of benzodiazepines: patients' views, accounts and experiences

BACKGROUND

Although a decrease in new prescribing has occurred for anxiolytic benzodiazepines, concerns have been raised that a 'core' of long-term users has been left behind. Typically, elderly people represent this 'core', using the benzodiazepines as hypnotics.

OBJECTIVE

The present study focuses on the reasons why hypnotic benzodiazepines are used for protracted lengths of time. By examining patient experiences and cognitions, a deeper understanding may be gained of why patients continue to use benzodiazepines.

METHODS

Elderly, long-term users of benzodiazepine hypnotics were interviewed using a semi-structured interview procedure. A comparison group of non-users of the drugs were given a brief interview to collect comparative data. Interview data were analysed from transcripts using qualitative methodology; statistical comparisons between the groups were made using non-parametric statistics.

RESULTS

The long-term users had significantly fewer hours of sleep per night than the non-users. There was some evidence of tolerance and a suggestion that symptoms of withdrawal were maintaining continual use. None of the long-term users had clean knowledge of what their doctors thought of their use of benzodiazepines.

CONCLUSIONS

The data suggest that the power of the doctor may not be utilized to its full potential in the prevention of long-term use, that at least 50% of elderly benzodiazepine users would like to discontinue use, and that patients need information and advice on how to discontinue these drugs.

Dream recall and the contraceptive pill

Data collected on women students at Edinburgh University allowed a comparison to be made between those who were taking a contraceptive pill and those who were not. The evidence suggests that women taking a contraceptive pill are more likely to recall dreaming, and that it is the progestagenic component that is the more active one. However, the data collected do not exclude the possibility that the differences observed are the consequence of other psychosocial variables; further research is recommended.